Welcome to the latest issue of the Bentley Buzz, where we share news and stories about the faculty and staff who make Bentley special. It is compiled by Kevin Wong, associate director of internal communications. To share your news or an idea for a story, please email buzz@bentley.edu.
Jan. 28, 2021
Preparing campus for the return of students this fall required a great deal of coordination and hard work. Every member of our Bentley community contributed to ensuring the fall experience was a success. To recognize and thank all those who helped ensure a safe campus this fall, the Buzz will share a few of their stories in upcoming issues.
For so many years, Bentley’s Waltham campus has been a defining point of pride for our community. From prospective students taking in the picturesque views of the Library’s clock tower for the first time to alumni returning for Falcon Weekend to reminisce about time spent bouncing between classes in Jennison and Lindsay, our campus has long played a role in what sets Bentley apart.
During a normal year, the Facilities team is responsible for keeping campus and its buildings (inside and out) pristine, safe and accessible to the Bentley community. As the leaves begin to litter the ground in the fall, they relentlessly keep Bentley’s lawns and pathways clear. During harsh New England winters, they’re on campus at all hours to shovel, plow snow and lay salt on the roads, walkways and stairs. And in the hot summer months, they work to refurbish the insides of academic buildings and residence halls in preparation for the coming academic year. Important year-round work includes general maintenance, repairs and cleaning all spaces across campus.
While the Facilities team continued these important tasks over the course of the past year, they found themselves now responsible for an even more crucial responsibility – keeping campus clean and safe in the face of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Following state and CDC guidelines, each member of the team played a critical role in maintaining a healthy and safe campus.
When the majority of faculty and staff began teaching and working remotely last spring, the dedicated members of Facilities remained on campus as preparations began for students to return in the fall. Installing countless yards of plexiglass dividers across campus, removing hundreds of chairs from classrooms to support new occupancy limits, and hanging important signage in every building on campus were early critical tasks in creating a safer campus environment for when in-person learning began. The team also pivoted quickly to procure and confirm the delivery of the now much sought after disinfecting supplies, PPE, wipes, sanitizing sprays and enhanced cleaning equipment that were in limited supply across the country. Thanks to these efforts, when some faculty and staff did return to campus, they were welcomed with thorough safety measures already in place allowing them to quickly get back to supporting students in person.
And when over 2,000 residential students did return to campus, the Facilities team was ready to support the added cleaning measures and operation of the screening testing site whenever they were called upon. Throughout the course of the fall, the team worked on a 24/7 basis to clean over 500 dorm rooms, suites and apartments after positive cases and close contacts were identified. Each member of the team was ready and willing to help support the critical disinfecting and sanitizing protocols that ensured the safety of all remaining on campus.
Other important safety measures included checking and upgrading HEPA air filters to ensure appropriate airflow in classrooms and administrative spaces and responding to an increase in maintenance requests caused by more time spent indoors. They also were crucial in helping to move the screening testing program to new indoor locations after sudden cold spells or windy weather rolled in – a process that requires quick action and has a great deal of moving parts.
“We are incredibly proud of our union staff as they selflessly serve the entire Bentley community day-after-day throughout the entire pandemic,” said Tom Kane, associate vice president of facilities management. “They all understand the importance of the added responsibilities placed upon them to support the campus’ overall COVID-19 response plan to provide a safe environment for our students, administration and faculty.”
And all along the way, the team stepped up and came to work with a smile, assuring the on-campus community that the right people were on hand to keep the facilities and grounds safe. “All fall, the team performed their work with pride and dedication throughout, which is admirable,” said Tom.
As Bentley begins to welcome students back to campus for the spring term, our community will continue to rely on the Facilities team to maintain a safe environment.
If you are working on campus, or when you do return, make sure to thank a team member when you see them for their hard work and dedication to keeping Bentley safe for all!
Generalized reciprocity is one of the Bentley Positive Leadership Principles that helps to reinforce our Core Values. Join an upcoming event to learn about the principle of generalized reciprocity and explore why it matters. During the 90-minute session, participants will have the opportunity to make requests of their colleagues, and will work together to achieve common goals. The session will be led by Shawn Quinn, founding partner of LIFT Consulting and an adjunct faculty member for the Executive Education program at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. No stranger to Bentley, Shawn has led numerous leadership development trainings over the past two years.
Learn More and Register
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